Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Domchryrom’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Domchryrom’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant form; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium to large decorative type inflorescences with red purple and light purple-colored ray florets; response time about 50 days under controlled photoperiodic treatments; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOMCHRYROM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium, commercially grown as a potted Chrysanthemum plant, referred to as code number 65896 in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/708,405 and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Domchryrom’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum plants with numerous attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made in January, 2015 by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number 808475, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number P0043, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in September, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom in December, 2015. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Domchryrom’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Domchryrom’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant form.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5.Medium to large decorative type inflorescences with red purple         and light purple-colored ray florets.     -   6. Response time about 50 days under controlled photoperiodic         treatments.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about four days         earlier than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have decorative type         inflorescences whereas plants of the female parent selection         have semi-decorative type inflorescences.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in inflorescence form as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have decorative type inflorescences whereas plants of the male parent selection have anemone type inflorescences.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Chrystal Pink’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Chrystal Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have decorative type         inflorescences whereas plants of ‘Chrystal Pink’ have         semi-decorative type inflorescences.     -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and ‘Chrystal Pink’ differ in         ray floret color as plants of the new Chrysanthemum have         inflorescences with red purple and light purple-colored ray         florets whereas plants of ‘Chrystal Pink’ have inflorescences         with light purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Domchryrom’ grown in a 14-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial garden Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions for about two weeks and then grown under short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiation and development. Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Domchryrom’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number 808475,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number P0043,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent             on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous semi-decorative type             potted Chrysanthemum; stems upright to outwardly spreading             giving a uniformly mounded appearance to the plant; numerous             lateral branches and relatively short internodes, dense and             full plant form; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 28 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about five primary             lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex             (pinching).         -   Lateral branches (peduncles as plants are grown as             disbuds).—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             About 60° from vertical and then bending upwardly. Texture:             Fine pubescence. Color: Close to 148A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 7 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five             lobes.         -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses             between lateral lobes mostly divergent.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Fine pubescence; slightly rough.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Fine pubescence; waxy; veins             prominent.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper surface: Fine pubescence; slightly rough. Texture,             lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Decorative type inflorescence form             with ligulate-shaped ray florets; inflorescences borne on             terminals above and beyond the foliar plane; disc and ray             florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum; freely             flowering habit with about 31 inflorescences developing per             plant during the flowering season.         -   Fragrance.—Fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower uniformly about 50 days             after starting short day/long night photoperiodic             treatments.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;             inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about             two to three weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About             8 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 138A.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—Medium to large, about 7 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Disc diameter.—Disc florets development has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             174 arranged in about ten whorls. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 80° from vertical; concave. Length:             About 3 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex:             Emarginate. Base: Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             double-keeled. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to             70B and 75C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 75C with             thin longitudinal stripes, close to 70B. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 75A and 76C; color does not change with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 75C with             thin longitudinal stripes, close to 75A; stripe color             becoming closer to 70B with development.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 23             arranged in about two whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 6 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:             Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 6 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 5A. Style             length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 154D. Ovary             color: Close to 155B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Domchryrom’ as illustrated and described. 